How the FIBA World Cup break reshapes the WNBA playoff picture
Yahoo Sports' Caroline Fenton and women's basketball writer Cassandra Negley break down why the mid-season FIBA World Cup break could impact teams differently — helping banged-up squads rest while potentially creating rust for teams on hot streaks. Catch the full conversation on the "Hoops 360" podcast, and subscribe on Apple podcasts , Spotify , YouTube, or wherever you listen.
Video Transcript
I think whether this break is a good thing or a not so good thing is very team dependent.
Mm-hmm.
Like, I, I do think A'ja not going to Germany and for this Aces squad to build chemistry with Kalani Brown, who they brought in just a couple of days ago after the injury of Napheesa Collier, like, maybe this break could be advantageous for them to, to build that chemistry and get acclimated for the postseason and life a- after Napheesa Collier, who is out for the rest of the season with an injury.
It's good for teams that just need to rest after the grind of the season, teams that have been a little bit banged up.
The, the New York Liberty are a team that comes to mind.
But then the other side of that is- Mm-hmm if you've been on a heater, then maybe this, this break, could start to create a little bit of rust, and then you're almost too well-rested going into the rest of the season and into the playoffs.
So it, that'll be a, a fascinating kind of wrench to see thrown in this season because this is new.
You know, this FIBA World Cup break is unique, to the WNBA 'cause let's go back to 2022, the last World Cup.
The WNBA played 36 games.
They had a condensed schedule so they could be done with the season before the World Cup break.
Well, now this year, of course, there's 44 games, and then the, the league is only going to grow even more.
The schedule is only going to grow even more.
So i- this is just a new approach to it for all coaches, for all players, and the way that teams want to approach this break.
It's, it's new for everybody.
So kinda one of those just unintended growing pains of the, the newfound popularity of the WNBA.
